I completed a BSc in Biology at the National University of Mexico (UNAM) with research on invasive species and did a Masters in management, conservation and international trade of wildlife at the International University of Andalusia (UNIA), Spain. My PhD in Systematic Conservation Planning (James Cook University) focused on the Gulf of California, and involved a review and further development of planning exercises undertaken in the region with an integrated land-sea planning perspective. Previous work experience includes conservation, management, trade and sustainable use of wildlife. I'm currently working at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies as part of the Conservation Planning research group, funded by the Australian Government's  National Environmental Science Programme (NESP).

Interests

Professional

• I am interested in improving spatial planning for natural resource use to achieve long-term sustainability and positive outcomes for people and their environment. Broadly, my research aims to advance systematic conservation planning theory and practice through promoting and improving the integration of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine conservation planning initiatives.

Research

• My research explores theoretical and methodological aspects of key decision-making problems associated with a land-sea approach, such as integrating cross-system threats (e.g. how land-based threats affect marine and coastal spatial prioritization), identifying co-benefits and trade-offs associated with management decisions (e.g. spatial congruence between local and downstream land values), and improving collaboration across interests and jurisdictional boundaries. My current research includes participatory scenario planning to inform integrated catchment management, studying collaboration networks supporting planning for land-water use and management, and designing reserve networks considering ecological connectivity and the effects of global warming.

Experience

• 2016 to present - Research Fellow, ARC CoE Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
• 2012 to 2016 - Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ARC CoE Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
• 2011 to 2012 - Casual research & GIS, Marine Monitoring Program, TropWater, James Cook University
• 2008 to 2012 - PhD Candidate, ARC CoE Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
• 2003 to 2008 - CITES Scientific Authority Coordinator, Mexico's National Biodiversity Commission

Research Disciplines

• Environmental Science and Management (0502)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Ecosystem Assessment and Management (9605)
• Remnant Vegetation and Protected Conservation Areas (9613)
• Environmental and Natural Resource Evaluation (9606)

Awards

• 2008 to 2012 - PhD scholarship, Mexico’s National Science and Technology Council
• 2011 - Virginia Chadwick Award, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
• 2009 to 2011 - PhD scholarship, Mexico’s Ministry of Education
• 2005 - Masters Scholarship, Fundación Carolina, Spain

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Adams V, Mills M, Weeks R, Segan D, Pressey R, Gurney G, Groves C, Davis F and Alvarez-Romero J (in press) Implementation strategies for systematic conservation planning. Ambio,
• Adams V, Moon K, Álvarez-Romero J, Bodin Ö, Spencer M and Blackman D (2018) Using multiple methods to understand the nature of relationships in social networks. Society & Natural Resources, 31 (7). pp. 755-772
• Alvarez-Romero J, Mills M, Adams V, Gurney G, Pressey R, Weeks R, Ban N, Cheok J, Davis T, Day J, Hamel M, Leslie H, Magris R and Storlie C (2018) Research advances and gaps in marine planning: towards a global database in systematic conservation planning. Biological Conservation, 227. pp. 369-382
• Álvarez-Romero J, Munguía-Vega A, Beger M, Mancha-Cisneros M, Suárez-Castillo A, Gurney G, Pressey R, Gerber L, Morzaria-Luna H, Reyes-Bonilla H, Adams V, Kolb M, Graham E, Vanderwal J, Castillo-López A, Hinojosa-Arango G, Petatán-Ramírez D, Moreno-Baez M, Godínez-Reyes C and Torre J (2018) Designing connected marine reserves in the face of global warming. Global Change Biology, 24 (2). pp. e671-e691
• Adams V, Álvarez-Romero J, Capon S, Crowley G, Dale A, Kennard M, Douglas M and Pressey R (2017) Making time for space: the critical role of spatial planning in adapting natural resource management to climate change. Environmental Science & Policy, 74. pp. 57-67
• Hughes T, Kerry J, Álvarez-Noriega M, Alvarez-Romero J, Anderson K, Baird A, Babcock R, Beger M, Bellwood D, Berkelmans R, Bridge T, Butler I, Byrne M, Cantin N, Comeau S, Connolly S, Cumming G, Dalton S, Diaz-Pulido G, Eakin C, Figueira W, Gilmour J, Harrison H, Heron S, Hoey A, Hobbs J, Hoogenboom M, Kennedy E, Kuo C, Lough J, Lowe R, Liu G, McCulloch M, Malcolm H, McWilliam M, Pandolfi J, Pears R, Pratchett M, Schoepf V, Simpson T, Skirving W, Sommer B, Torda G, Wachenfeld D, Willis B and Wilson S (2017) Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals. Nature, 543 (7645). pp. 373-377
• Adams V, Pressey R and Álvarez-Romero J (2016) Using optimal land-use scenarios to assess trade-offs between conservation, development, and social values. PLoS ONE, 11 (6).
• Arias A, Pressey R, Jones R, Alvarez-Romero J and Cinner J (2016) Optimizing enforcement and compliance in offshore marine protected areas: a case study from Cocos Island, Costa Rica. Oryx, 50 (1). pp. 18-26
• Álvarez-Romero J, Pressey R, Ban N and Brodie J (2015) Advancing land-sea conservation planning: integrating modelling of catchments, land-use change, and river plumes to prioritise catchment management and protection. PLoS ONE, 10 (12). pp. 1-26
• Álvarez-Romero J, Adams V, Pressey R, Douglas M, Dale A, Augé A, Ball D, Childs J, Digby M, Dobbs R, Gobius N, Hinchley D, Lancaster I, Maughan M and Perdrisat I (2015) Integrated cross-realm planning: a decision-makers' perspective. Biological Conservation, 191. pp. 799-808
• Gurney G, Pressey R, Ban N, Álvarez-Romero J, Jupiter S and Adams V (2015) Efficient and equitable design of marine protected areas in Fiji through inclusion of stakeholder-specific objectives in conservation planning. Conservation Biology, 29 (5). pp. 1378-1389
• Stoeckl N, Chaiechi T, Farr M, Jarvis D, Álvarez-Romero J, Kennard M, Hermoso V and Pressey R (2015) Co-benefits and trade-offs between agriculture and conservation: a case study in Northern Australia. Biological Conservation, 191. pp. 478-494

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 37+ research outputs authored by Dr Jorge Alvarez-Romero from 2006 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Assessing Cumulative Impacts of Land Use in the Wet Tropics Catchments on the Great barrier Reef: Remote Sensing and Bayesian Modeling for a New Conservation Planning Scheme (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Avoiding and reversing "paper parks": integrating fishers' compliance into marine conservation efforts (2016, PhD , Secondary Advisor)

These are the most recent metadata records associated with this researcher. To see a detailed description of all dataset records, visit the JCU Research Data Catalogue.

• Alvarez-Romero, J. (2018) Global conservation planning database: marine proof-of-concept. James Cook University
• Alvarez Romero, J. (2016) Integrated land-sea planning in the Gulf of California, Mexico. James Cook University
• Alvarez Romero, J. (2016) Integrated land-sea conservation planning case studies. James Cook University
• Alvarez Romero, J. (2016) Marine conservation planning in the Gulf of California, Mexico. James Cook University

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.